3rd Arts & Humanities Conference, Barcelona

FROM ROMAN HERITAGE TO ROMANIAN LANGUAGE AND CULTURE. THE RETURN TO THE MEDITERRANEAN

PAUL NANU

Abstract:

Although strictly speaking not a part of the Mediterranean cultural area, Romania was bluntly influenced by the Latin spirit through Roman conquest. Moreover, Romanians have kept during centuries a close relation with the Southern European, by way of cultural, social, and commercial intake. Influenced by Slavic civilizations around, in close relation with the Balkans, Romanians are now, once part of the EU, coming back to their ancestral source. European-mandated free movement of persons and the liberalization of work enable Romanians to travel south. Romanian language becomes the first foreign language spoken in Italy, for instance, and large communities are establishing in Spain and start speaking a new language: romañol. Proud to be considered Latins, Romanians have always kept close to their hearts the Mediterranean, although sadly the vice versa may possibly be not valid. In our presentation, we shall look into certain sociological and cultural aspects of this matter.

Keywords: Romanian culture, Balkans, migration, Mediterranean area, stereotypes

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